Each year Millikan’s Fashion Program comes together to put on a Springtime fashion show for everyone to enjoy! This year the fashion show themed “Istoria,” meaning “stories” in Greek, happened on May 31 at 7:30 p.m.
Millikan’s fashion show is an extravagant production where fashion students across Intro, Intermediate, and Advanced levels have the opportunity to show off the garments they worked hard to design and create.
In order to put on the production, students get to vote on colors, themes, titles, and backgrounds of the fashion show. Fashion students also help fundraise and put together decorations for the show.
“Practically every decision for the fashion show is decided by the students,” says Natalia Garcia, a COMPASS senior and president of Advanced Fashion. “So while Mrs. Palsgrove is the head of fashion, I would say the show is very student based.”
Ms. Palsgrove, Millikan’s Fashion and AP Studio Art teacher states, “Every little bit of every decision that goes into telling what you want your story to be and how to execute your entire creative vision is the designer’s responsibility.”
In order to participate in the show, designers work on their collection of garments throughout the whole year. Designers must make their first garment in the first semester of school in order to be graded, then they complete the rest of their collection in the second semester.
Designers also work on the choreography, hair, makeup, and props that their models will have on the runway. This means that every model who takes to the runway is showing off a whole year’s worth of work. Designers also team up with models of their choice, who will wear their garments on the runway. Together they dedicate numerous hours to prep and rehearse for the show.
On the official runway day, designers have a chance to win prizes for their hard work. A group of judges have been recruited to review the garments and, this year, a sewing machine will be awarded to the best designer.
It is also not just fashion students and their models who are involved in this production, as the Stage Crew class works hard to set up the stage and work on things such as the music and lighting.
Every fashion show has a theme and this year’s theme provides participants with a chance to add their own stories to their garments.
“Our show theme is ‘stories’ so we all get to tell our unique story,” says Garcia. “It’s pretty cool because it can be interpreted in one million different ways, so some students are doing fairy tales, Disney princess stories, horror stories, folklore, mythology, or personal stories.”
Through telling their stories and highlighting their hard work, Fashion students, their models, and Stage Crew come together to form a group of over 500 students who’ve worked hard to put on this show.
